A costumed man is pictured during Chinese New Year celebrations in New York's Chinatown district January 26, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    By Xinhua Writer Yang Qingchuan

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- On July 27, at the opening meeting of the first China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) in Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama borrowed words from ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius to underscore the importance of resolving disagreement between the two nations through talks.

    "A trail through the mountains, if used, becomes a path in a short time, but, if unused, becomes blocked by grass in an equally short time," he quoted Mencius.

    FREQUENT QUOTES OF CHINESE ANCIENT PROVERBS

    For observers of Sino-U.S. relations, it is hard for them to ignore the fact that the Chinese culture is playing a more visible in promoting understanding between the two countries.

    U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is also no stranger to Chinese proverbs.

    In her speech at the first S&ED, she quoted the Chinese proverb: "When people are of one mind and heart, they can move Mountain Tai."

    In January, when delivering remarks in New York before her Asiatrip, Clinton said: "When you are in a common boat, you need to cross the river peacefully together," to suggest how Washington and Beijing should work together to overcome the current economic crisis.

    That proverb is from the Art of War by Sun Tzu, an ancient Chinese military strategist.

    U.S. Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner, who once studied in China, went further at the S&ED by citing a Chinese idiom in Chinese language: "feng yu tong zhou", which means "staying in the same boat through rain and wind".

    On June 1, when delivering a speech at Beijing University, Geithner used the Chinese idiom "a joint effort in a concerted way", to show America's willingness to cooperate with China.

    U.S. policy makers' frequent references to Chinese proverbs in public speeches showed the greater respect of U.S. politicians for Chinese culture, said Li Cheng, an expert at Brookings Institution's John L. Thornton China Center.

    It demonstrated that U.S. leaders "have become quite aware of China's contributions to the world civilization and are expressing their willingness to approach China on an equal basis," he told Xinhua in a recent interview.

　　CONFUCIUS BECOMES TOP CULTURAL BRAND NAME

    In recent years, ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius has become Chinese culture's top brand name in the United States.

    On Oct. 28, the U.S. House of Representatives took the unusual step of adopting a resolution to honor the 2,560th anniversary of the world famous ancient philosopher.

    The bill, passed by the House overwhelmingly, recognized Confucius' "invaluable contributions to philosophy and social and political thought."

    Al Green, a Democratic Congressman from Texas and sponsor of the bill, said on the House floor that the resolution celebrated the "personal introspection" of Confucius and his "respect of social relationships, personal and governmental morality."

    "He preached that politicians must always present truth and morality. He taught the philosophy of reciprocity, never impose upon others what you would not choose for yourself," said Green.

    Li Cheng believes the most important factor behind the U.S. House adopting such a resolution is China's growing global influence, both economic and cultural.

    Other scholars like Liu Quansheng, director of the Confucius Institute at University of Maryland, says the rapid growth of Confucius Institutes in the United States helped to make Confucius one of the top Chinese cultural brand names in America.

    Since the opening of the first Confucius Institute in the U.S. at the University of Maryland in 2004, more than 60 such institutes have been set up across the country.

    The Institute, headquartered in Beijing and sponsored by China's National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language,or "Hanban", not only offers a place for Americans to learn Chinese, but also serves as a platform to help American and Chinese people to understand each other better.

    Margot Landman, senior director of education programs at the National Committee of U.S.-China Relations, said at a recent seminar in Washington that the Chinese teachers working at U.S. Confucius Institutes were doing well and were really welcomed.

    "There are enormous competitions among American school districts to get a teacher from China," she said.